Game Plan
by kaleidoscope-dream
Summary: A collection of drabbles from my write-every-day challenge. Ch. 6: Midorima points out that Aomine is not your typical Virgo.
1. Candid Camera

**a/n: **I made a promise to myself to write every day and these drabbles will be the product that I accumulate over time. I hope one or two spark your interest and that you enjoy reading them. Advice and critique is welcome, as well as just pointing out what is good and what is bad. All of which will help me grow as a writer. Thanks and happy reading!

**Title: **Candid Camera  
**Fandom:** Kuroko no Basket  
**Characters: **Kise Ryota, Momoi Satsuki  
**Rating:** G  
**Words:** (+/-) 278  
**Summary:** Momoi doesn't like to share, but she reluctantly does so with Kise.  
**Notes:** Written for writers_choice. Prompt #465 - camera.

"Give it back, Ryo-kun!"

"Never!" Kise Ryota laughed loudly at the pout Momoi insisted on giving him and tauntingly waved the camera in front of her. "Unless ..." He smirked and flipped through the pictures on the digital screen. "Aha, this." He showed the picture that had caught his interest and Momoi turned a fetching shade of red when she saw it.

The most invisible member of their team was asleep in the photo, his head resting on the shoulder of someone that hadn't quite made it into the picture. Kise made of show of appearing disappointed, but there was a playful gleam to his eyes that said otherwise. Momoi tried for another wild grab at the camera - and cursed Kise's height advantage the moment the blonde boy raised it above her head.

"I wonder what Aominecchi would have to say about you taking pictures of the two of them sleeping together."

She didn't know if he had purposely said it like that to draw a reaction or not, but she flushed a deeper red as thoughts she hadn't considered drifted through her mind. Although, the idea of Tetsuya doing anything of the sort with a person that wasn't her did wonders for stifling the embarrassment. "Give it back," she insisted, once more, holding her hand out impatiently. "I'll make copies for you, pervert."

Kise grinned in that model-esque way of his. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement."


	2. Capture and Count

**Title:** Capture and Count  
**Fandom: **Kuroko no Basket  
**Characters: **Akashi, Midorima  
**Rating:** G  
**Words:** (+/-) 546  
**Summary:** Midorima changes the game.

Akashi studies the board before him. It isn't his usual shogi board and he doesn't like it. He makes this apparent as he raises his mismatched eyes to scrutinize Midorima. "If you're going to challenge me," he says, deliberately precise, "pick something worth my time."

There is no response from Midorima. The boy continues counting out stones as if he doesn't hear a thing. Akashi gives the game board another speculative glance. There are two rows on the wooden board, with twelve pits each, and if the stones are the game pieces - he guesses they are playing endodoi. A capture and count game, then. He thinks Midorima couldn't have picked a more foolish game to use.

It's a little amusing too, so he decides to humor his teammate and counts out his own start pieces.

When the game begins, the pace is faster than he expects and he struggles to keep up - but he can afford to sacrifice the first round. It's more important to see the goal ahead than the minor mistakes in the beginning. Not that Akashi makes any mistakes; he's just thrown off by the speed at which Midorima makes his moves.

The first round goes to Midorima, as he thought, but his vice captain isn't smiling. There is a determination to win reflected in the way his eyes are trained on the board and how he impatiently taps his bandaged fingers on the table they are using. Around them is silence since the school library is empty this evening. He wonders how long it will stay empty; how long it will take for their teammates to find them. He wonders if they will arrive before he crushes Midorima merciless.

He has no doubt he will win. The game is too easy. He has gotten use to the pace. There is nothing left but for him to win. Midorima doesn't seem to see what he sees, or maybe he chooses not to, and struggles on.

Five rounds later, the score is four to one and Akashi isn't amused anymore. "Is there a point in continuing?"

Midorima glares and moves two pieces forward, capturing one of Akashi's stones in the process. He hasn't answered once, but Midorima proves he hasn't given up with that move. He has shut down any further moves from Akashi, securing his second victory. It isn't so much surprise that Akashi feels, rather it's pity. No matter how hard Midorima struggles he cannot win against a power he cannot see.

He wins twice more before telling Midorima, "You lose." And he no longer feels anything. Games like this disappoint him, again and again.

He doesn't understand Midorima's intention for playing it until the vice captains explains, "But you had to lose to win." Then he pushes the chair back, the sound a sharp screech in the emptiness, and leaves.

Akashi rolls a stone between his fingers and considers that. What is it he lost? He imagines the answer is simple, much like their game, and he thinks he already knows.

If this is what it feels like to 'lose', Akashi decides he will keep on winning. No matter the cost.


	3. Waste Not, Want Not

**Title: **Waste Not, Want Not **  
Fandom: **Kuroko no Basket**  
****Characters: **Murasakibara Atsushi, Kuroko Tetsuya **  
Rating: **PG-13 **  
Words: **(+/-) 523**  
Summary: **Murasakibara likes sweet things. He likes sweet things even better when they're on Kuroko. Murasakibara/Kuroko slash.

Kuroko finishes off an ice cream and licks what has melted away from the stick, revealing the letters underneath. It says, Loser, and he tosses it in the nearest trash can. At least he isn't wasting a free ice cream. His teammate, the one walking beside him, isn't the type to take that sort of thing lightly.

"Why did you follow me to the convenience store again, Murasakibara-kun?" The bag in his other hand swings back and forth, the contents revealed by the see-thorough bag: a bento for dinner and sports tape. Usually it's Aomine who accompanies him on these little trips, but Murasakibara has followed him this time around. "Do you need something?"

The taller boy shakes head and then stops, considering it. "Kise-chin said you liked ice cream, so I thought I would have you try the new flavor the store offers. That's all. And maybe I wanted to spend time with you. You don't talk much at practice anymore, Kuro-chin."

"Ah, I see," Kuroko says and swings his bag a little more. "It was good. The one you suggested. Thanks."

Murasakibara shrugs. "I thought you might like it." Then he stops and grabs onto Kuroko's arm to stop him as well. The bag tilts precariously, but the dinner and the tape stay safe. Kuroko is relieved until he looks up and finds Murasakibara's face too close to his. Passer-bys are actually staring and Kuroko squirms, unaccustomed to such attention.

"Is something wrong?" Kuroko wonders, pushing at the hand restraining him and getting nowhere fast.

"Yes," Murasakibara replies, but he does not elaborate on it. Instead, he closes the distance and licks at the corner of Kuroko's mouth. "You had a little bit of ice cream left on your face."

Kuroko translates that to mean: "I couldn't waste any, could I?" The taller boy has an addiction for sweets that knows hardly any bounds – which is why he is surprised when Murasakibara does it again. His wet tongue slides over that same spot, and Kuroko jerks back instinctively. "What are you doing?"

Murasakibara simply explains, "You taste sweet," and smiles.

"Anyone would. Ice cream is mostly sugar and milk." Kuroko wishes Murasakibara would let go of his arm already; the grip on his wrist is starting to hurt. "If that's all, I should be going -"

"Tomorrow," Murasakibara interrupts, "let's have vanilla shakes together. You like them, don't you?"

"Kise-kun again?" remarks Kuroko dryly.

His teammate raises one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "Maybe. So? Will you?"

"If I can get home before my dinner falls on the ground, you can have whatever you want."

Murasakibara delights at the acceptance and releases Kuroko's arm. The shorter boy rubs at his wrist until he can feel the blood flowing properly and breathes a quiet sigh of relief. He doesn't care Murasakibara has taken his words a little too literally, because now he can go home and forget for a while.

When tomorrow comes, he takes his time with the promised vanilla shake. And afterwards, Murasakibara takes the time to lick the flavor thoroughly from his lips and his mouth and the tip of his tongue.


	4. Part of the Team

**Title:** Part of the Team  
**Fandom: **Kuroko no Basket  
**Characters: **Akashi, Momoi  
**Rating:** G  
**Words: **(+/-) 1247  
**Summary:** Momoi didn't have it nearly as easy as the boys when it came to joining the team.

"Captain?" Momoi blinks and tilts her head. The redhead in front of her just smiles. She dislikes him already. "You're the captain?" she repeats. She isn't sure she can believe someone so obviously fake. It doesn't help that the boy is barely taller than her and looks like a strong wind could blow him down. She has half a mind to invite him outside sometime on a stormy day and find out.

"Yes, I am Akashi Seijuro. The captain of this basketball club." He holds out his hand and Momoi knows what he expects, and it's not a handshake. She gives him the application papers to become manager and waits. "Impressive," Akashi says, "to get a recommendation by the coach himself." She might have been flattered on any other occasion, but the dismissive tone he uses doesn't sit right with Momoi and she chooses not to respond. "And Daiki talks of you often." A lie; she knows Aomine talks about nothing but basketball when he's at basketball practice. He has too much of one-tracked mind. "But I'm afraid it all comes down to what I think."

His eyes meet hers and she finds it strange that she cannot see her reflection in them. "I don't like you," he states bluntly, still smiling. "You would only serve as a distraction to my team and I cannot permit such a thing. And I dislike relationships within my team. Your connection to Daiki is reason enough to refuse you." He crumbles the papers and lets them fall to the ground. "Please forget about joining us." He turns to leave, but pauses and looks back. "Ah, and be sure to clean that up. This is a litter-free gymnasium."

She's suddenly glad the gym is empty. The tears fall down her cheeks without a sound, and she hates that she's crying.

Later, when she angrily wipes them away, she promises the vacant gym that she will join the boys' basketball team and she shouts it as loud as she can.

Momoi corners a classmate and demands to know more about Akashi Seijuro. She's heard Aomine speak of him sometimes, but he never goes into details and she never asks. Now she's asking, but she's too embarrassed to confront her childhood friend.

The information she gets - it isn't very promising. She finds out his favorite board game is shogi, that he doesn't like sweet things, and that's it. She talks to others and discovers quickly there are students too afraid to say much more than, "He doesn't like to lose."

The thing that bothers her the most is that she doesn't like to lose either.

She catches up to Akashi one day in the library and she's all - _fake_- smiles. "Hello, A~ka~shi-kun!" she cheerfully greets him. "What a surprise, I thought you would be at practice today." A lie; she is here thanks to Aomine's endless complaining about cancelled practice and actually having to do schoolwork.

He spares her a glance, raising his eyebrows in mock inquisitiveness, but there is a knowing look to his eyes that says he's seen through her. It's unnerving, that level of perception of his; she almost envies him the ability. "What is it you want, Satsuki-san?"

She takes an step back without realizing, unsure how to handle the familiarity with which he speaks. Then she regains herself and moves closer than necessary, almost challengingly. "I want to join the team."

He places a book on the table in front of him and doesn't look at her again. "I'm sorry. I'll have to say no, again. You have nothing to give our team." He takes a seat, pulls the chair in, and begins to read. She has been dismissed.

Momoi clenches her fists at her sides and spins away from the exasperating boy, uncaring if the motion flips her skirt a little. She storms out of the library and Akashi smiles behind his book.

"Well, well, this is surprising." Akashi is at practice, but wasting time by spinning a basketball leisurely on one finger. His smile is uncannily wide. "You want to play a game?" He gestures to the basketball, just to be sure of Momoi's intentions.

She ties her long hair back and makes a beckoning gesture. Then she drops into a defensive position, ready to go. His smile twists into a smirk and he stops the nonsensical spinning of the ball. He dismisses the rest of the first-string members in the gym, but most of them linger as curious observers despite his orders to get off the court. Their choice. They know that means more laps for tomorrow.

He starts to dribble the ball, and she follows the motions with her eyes. He wonders about that; Momoi seemed more the type to mark a person, rather than a ball. The game begins in earnest moments later. He scores a basket as soon as she leaves an opening, and he isn't holding back - but Momoi looks unshaken. If anything, she looks considering.

It's her turn with the ball and her dribbling technique isn't half-bad, but it's riddled with holes that he exploits. He steals the ball and makes another basket. Still, Momoi isn't fazed in the slightest. She appears to have expected that to happen.

With the ball in his hands again, Akashi rushes for the basket and doesn't bother to take note of Momoi's position. Her speed is slower, her stamina is half of anyone on the team, and she isn't anywhere close to being able to compare to the captain of the basketball team. It's this unshakable belief in himself that allows Momoi her chance.

She cuts him off and jumps, just as he lets go of the ball to take the shot. The ball grazes her fingertips and she forces the ball off its course. The _bang_of the basketball hitting the ring echoes in the silent gym and then the ball tilts - and falls off without going into the net. She wipes the sweat from her brow and then pushes a fist into the air, crying out, "I did it!"

Everyone brushes it off as a fluke and the game continues. Again, and again, and again, it's Momoi blocking his shots. Finally, Akashi is forced to call their match to a close. The score remains four to zero. He has won, but there is something he must admit now. "You do have something to give to this team after all," he comments, and then throws a towel at her. "But Satsuki, the manager should never play basketball in a skirt. What did I say about being a distraction?"

Momoi laughs and wraps the towel around her neck. "Don't be boring, Sei-kun!" And then she waves to the blushing boys.

"How did you do it?" Akashi questions her, appearing genuine for a change.

Their eyes meet and Momoi can see her reflection this time. She is giggling when she answers, "If you want to get technical, you could say I see the future."

Akashi raises an eyebrow and says, "What a coincidence." She blinks and tilts her head, like the first time they met. "I can see the future, too."

Once Momoi is gone, having skipped off to start on her manager duties, Midorima approaches his captain. He stares, and then flatly decides, "You knew this would happen."

Akashi just smiles.


	5. Fun in the Kitchen

**Title:** Fun in the Kitchen  
**Fandom:** Kuroko no Basket  
**Characters: **Kagami, Midorima  
**Rating: **PG-13? I'm starting to wonder if I can even _write_ anything explicit /brb facepalming  
**Words:** (+/-) 872  
**Summary:** Midorima was supposed to be helping him study - but last time Kagami checked, a good study partner didn't slap on an apron and pillage the kitchen. Midorima/Kagami.

"I invited you over to study," Kagami groused, "not take over my kitchen."

Midorima had even discovered his apron, which had been a gift from Alex. Needless to say, the slogan across it was the tried and true _kiss the cook_. He had only kept the thing because Alex would have a fit if he threw it away - and she had a sixth sense about things like that. Well, maybe it wasn't so bad if Midorima was wearing it. At least the light green matched his eyes? Like Kagami cared. No, he didn't notice at all. It just looked better on Midorima because at least _he_didn't look like a Christmas tree while wearing it.

"I'm not taking over you kitchen," Midorima amended. "I am merely hungry and require nourishment."

"Uh-huh. So why are you baking cookies?" Kagami asked, dubious. "Does sugar do something for you smart people?"

Midorima stirred the liquid-like dough a little harder. "If you must know, my fortune said good things would come from making cookies at a friend's house."

Making a non-committal sound in the back of his throat, Kagami said, "That's oddly specific." Then he paused, the second half of that 'fortune' catching up with him. "And wait, since when were we friends?"

"Since you invited me over here to study, I assumed we were 'friends'." Somehow, the way Midorima said that wasn't very 'friendly'.

"Oh. I thought it was when we made-out behind the bleachers that one time. That's a relief. Wouldn't want you getting the wrong idea about _that_." If Midorima wanted to be sarcastic, Kagami could be just as relentless. "Are you sure those are cookies, though?" Kagami wondered. "It looks like soup, and you're adding all that sugar!"

"I never said I was good at making cookies," insisted Midorima, "but all I need to do is -"

"Here," Kagami reached around him, measuring out a cup of flour.

"I could have done that myself." Snatching the measuring cup from Kagami's hold, he poured the flour into his half-ready mixture and looked over the recipe. "I think I may have added too many eggs, that's why it requires more flour." He spared a passing glance at Kagami. "That wouldn't have happened if you bought larger eggs."

"Tch, but you get more for your money when you buy smaller!" defended Kagami, crossing his arms and glaring.

"You sound like a housewife," and Midorima was smiling, curse him, "you'll make someone very happy - as a bride."

Growling, he pushed the other boy out of the way and rolled up his sleeves. "If you're going to go all pre-school, insulting my pride, then I'll show you how it's done."

"Oh, please. Go right ahead." That was too easy, Kagami thought - and he made the mistake of turning to question Midorima, who had spoonful of butter at the ready. It wasn't completely Midorima's fault that he walked right into that one, but now his nose was twitching from the smell and his eyebrows had seen better - less butter-filled - days. This meant war.

Picking up the plastic container that housed his flour, he spun open the top. Then he threw a good portion of it _right at Midorima_. If he thought Midorima looked good in green, then white was even more flattering. He grinned, proud of his accomplishment, and got out his phone to take a picture.

When he went to push the camera button, however, Midorima interrupted him - an interruption in the form of a cracked egg dripping down the redhead's furious face. Kagami pocketed his phone for safekeeping and took up the spoon Midorima had been using to mix the dough. It was still runny, but not as bad. Still, it was enough so that when he waved it around, the dough went everywhere. And by everywhere, he meant mostly Midorima (but his kitchen would need a good cleaning later, too).

"You are trying my patience," Midorima - in his white, ghost-like outfit - was hard to take seriously, "and I refuse to continue this foolishness."

"What, it's not in your horoscope to loosen up and have a little fun?"

Midorima bristled, possibly insulted. "This is supposed to be fun? I'm a mess!" He gestured to his flour-coated body, which was actually kind of funny. Kagami wondered if he was offering himself up to be eaten, or if he was really that oblivious.

"Well, I know some other ways to have fun that are equally messy," Kagami suggested, wiping egg from his face. _Not clueless,_Kagami decided, when Midorima took up the hose from the facet and drenched him with it. Dripping with egg and water and butter, he couldn't help but take one last stab at his 'study partner', "If you wanted to see me wet, you could have waited, Midorima."

"If I wanted just that," Midorima surprisingly responded, "it would have been too easy."

Kagami didn't like how smug Midorima sounded. If Midorima wanted to see how just how _easy_he could be - well, he'd have to oblige.

He closed the distance between them and crashed their messy lips together. The cookies would have to wait, he had something to prove. And there would be nothing easy about it.


	6. Astrology Says So

**Title:** Astrology Says So  
**Fandom:** Kuroko no Basket  
**Characters:** Aomine, Midorima, Kuroko  
**Rating:** PG (because of Aomine)  
**Words:** (+/-) 482  
**Summary:** Midorima points out that Aomine is not your typical Virgo.  
**Notes:** I don't know what this is, but I saw this prompt on fic_promptly as an Author's Choice and thought 'it fits Midorima and Aomine perfectly!' - which spawned this, heh. (And the prompt is basically the first sentence~)

It started with a simple, "All Virgos are extremely friendly and intelligent - except for you."

Aomine Daiki was simply pissed now. He had been having a good day until Midorima decided that, out of the blue, they should talk more. This was a perfectly good example of why they shouldn't be allowed to talk outside of games. "What the hell, four-eyes, did I ask for your opinion?" He looked to Kuroko for support, but his teammate merely shrugged and continued his ice cream.

"I was just making a point," Midorima continued nonchalantly, and _his_ ice cream was melting all over the place. Aomine would have made his own point of saying Midorima had better uses for his mouth than to trash talk, but that would have proved the arrogant shooting guard right. Sure, Aomine wasn't a typical, friendly Virgo. He was _himself_, screw that astrology bullshit.

"Good for you," Aomine managed to ground out between tightly clenched teeth. "Oi, Tetsu, are you going straight home, or do you want to hit the basketball courts?"

Midorima didn't like to be ignored, however. "See. Here a Virgo should say, 'Oh kind friends, won't you join me for a game on this lovely evening?'"

Finished with his ice cream, Aomine threw it in the trash without checking whether he won or lost. It was a stupid sales strategy, anyway. "To hell with that. I'd like to hear one person who would say something like that!"

"Technically, Midorima-kun just did," Kuroko piped up, bland but clear-cut.

"Fuck it!" Aomine turned to face the shooting guard and glared. "Do you want to have a match with me that badly? I'll knock some of that arrogance right out of you!"

Readjusting his glasses, Midorima smiled. "Excellent. Shall we make a bet?"

Aomine gestured to Midorima's ice cream. "You might want to get rid of those sticky fingers first, before betting anything."

"I knew that," the physiological response that colored Midorima's face said otherwise, "I just forgot."

Not bothering to contradict that, Aomine said, "You got a little on your face too."

"Oh, Midorima-kun is blushing. That's strange," Kuroko stated calmly, and then he went back to his ice cream as if he hadn't made something more obvious than it needed to be.

"I am not blushing!" insisted Midorima, rubbing at a spot on his face - and missing the ice cream on it entirely.

"More to your left," Kuroko tried to help, "ah, no. I mean my left."

Fed up with the pussyfooting around, Aomine just walked over and wiped it off himself. "There. That over with - basketball time! Let's go already!"

When Aomine was far enough down the sidewalk, Midorima admitted softly, "Maybe he's not completely unfriendly."

"But he lacks intelligence," Kuroko added, surprising his teammate who jumped slightly. "Oh, sorry. Did you forget I was here?"

Midorima decided not to comment because _yes, he did_.


End file.
